Strategische Agenda 2022-2025

8 Contribution as a TO2 institute The applied research institutions (TO2) are important players in the Dutch knowledge and innovation ecosystem. With an extensive national and international network of companies, government authorities and research institutes, TO2 institutes are able to absorb fundamental knowledge. We have a lot of experience with the ongoing development and application of that knowledge. Deltares focuses on three core tasks that match the three main tasks of the TO2 institutes: - The development, application and dissemination of knowledge in order to establish an understanding in good time of the challenges facing the delta and to support the government with the formulation of policy and the implementation of that policy to resolve those delta issues; - The development, application and dissemination of knowledge that contributes to the competitive position of the Netherlands in the international ‘delta market’; - Managing strategic research facilities and software instruments. 1.2 | Looking back The main objectives of the past four years have been achieved. Contributing visibly to the international sustainability agenda was at the top of the list. In the period under review, we have increasingly adopted the major challenges facing society and transitions as the starting points for our knowledge development. This knowledge has reached our stakeholders through all kinds of channels. The Evaluation study of organisations for applied research , Deltares sub-report, states that the impact of our work has increased visibly in the period under review and concludes that we have a very large impact in different areas. The Deltares knowledge domain is the domain where enormous changes are taking place worldwide and the associated issues facing society are large and complex. According to the evaluation, Deltares has demonstrated that it makes a major contribution with its knowledge and research to setting the agenda and discussion about the problems in deltas, now and in the future. Because the national government funding has increased from 9% to approximately 16% in the period under review, we have been successful in strengthening our knowledge base. This was another important area in the previous Strategic Agenda. The committee notes that the national government funding for Deltares contributes emphatically to the achievement of the policy objectives. Deltares concentrates on themes that play a role in the medium to long terms and that are of an urgent nature for society. In this way, we help the government to develop policy and contribute to resolving delta issues by engaging in operational projects. Another area was investment in data science and artificial intelligence. Significant steps have been made in the period under review, among other things by setting up a wide- ranging programme in the field of the development and application of key enabling technologies, internally and externally, for example through DigiShape. More focus has been introduced to our international strategy. The regional strategy has been developed further in the period under review. The activities, the portfolio, relevant for the specific regions have been elaborated for each region. 1.3 | Knowledge base The unique combination of highly qualified people, experimental facilities, key enabling technologies, specialist software and data products underpins the success of the research at Deltares. These are our most important assets for knowledge development and for delivering added value for national and international missions and issues facing society. We work with a systemic approach. We nurture this knowledge base and keep it up-to-date through our continuous investment in personal development, updating of knowledge and instruments, and in the application of our knowledge in programmes and projects. Our employees and their networks Deltares employs a lot of highly motivated and highly educated people. About a quarter of our employees have a PhD and so they have good networks in the academic world. In addition, some twenty professors, approximately twenty lecturers (including senior lecturers) and eighty PhD candidates work with us. We also have many students every year who complete internships or graduate with us. This means we have an extensive network including research institutes and private companies at home and abroad. Every day, our colleagues at Deltares are at work on maintaining our long-term knowledge base. We believe that diversity in our teams is important and that it helps us to operate successfully at home and abroad. In addition to our workforce, our knowledge base comprises the knowledge facilities: our software and models, data and data facilities, and experimental facilities. The development of the knowledge facilities is strategically important for Chapter 1 Deltares now